First Look| Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette

Taupe hued neutrals? Death on my eyes.

No really, taupes and dirty cool toned browns have never flattered me and I don't try to make it work. If I'm doing a bold lip, I will almost always reach for a wash of grey or taupe to tone down the look and almost recede the eyes from point of focus.

So I told myself I didn't need the Naked Basics 2 ($29), catered to cooler toned gals who would appreciate a sophisticated palette of mattes. At worst my eyes would look irritated and tired and at best I would only use one or two shades to blank out my eyelids. 

But then I gave it another thought. Aren't cool toned browns and taupes the best for filling in eyebrows and contouring? If I wasn't able to use it on my lids, I'd still get a lot of use out of the palette. The shades are taupes with slightly warm undertones so that they are neutral enough for most to wear.

I actually enjoy the Naked Basics 2 much more than the original Basics which lacked variation in depth and tone in lighter shades and a black that was too black to be used in the outer v for my taste. 

For me, this palette was a lot more flattering than I thought it would be. The only unflattering color is Primal, which is too cool to be used as a transition shade on my crease but is perfect for contouring my nose! All other colors show up on my lids well and are warm enough to not make me look washed out or sickly.

Here are both palettes and their swatches. The size and shape remains consistent. What I did notice, however, is that the Basics 2 is a tad more powdery and prone to fall out in pan. I didn't see this translated on the lids.

The first is on the left and the Naked Basics 2 is on the right. There are slight nuances and similarities of colors but it doesn't hurt to own both.

Like I predicted, this palette is excellent for filling in eyebrows.

The entire range of colors can suit blondes to brunettes and you have one light shade with slight shimmer to clean up the brow bone area. I think this belongs in a professional kit just as much as the every day woman's handbag.

Here is the Original swatches. The pale yellow is the densest and least pigmented in the palette.



The Basics 2, as you can see, is a tad more buttery and soft. The shadows show up well but can look "powdery" in the swatches.

To recap, if you:

a. want taupe-y and matte shadows as transitional and crease shades.

b. need a portable kit for eyebrows as a makeup artist.

c. are in the fair to tan shade range (and perhaps also enjoy contouring)...

the Naked Basics 2 is a great idea. 

If you:

a. rarely wear matte eyeshadows alone and/or don't like playing with multiple palettes at once.

b. have issues with softer, more powdery eyeshadows.

c. already have a sizable eyeshadow collection...

you probably won't need this palette. 

xo Be